The Red Dress Redress
by Adatrix
Summary: Set during "Theatricality" and basically answers the question: Just how did Finn make that Gaga dress himself? A friendship fic featuring Tina as the glue that helps heal Kurt and Finn. With a small cameo by Artie. Enjoy!
1. Tina Listens

**AN: **This story idea has been rattling around in my head for a little while. It's set during "Theatricality" and basically answers the question: Just how did Finn make that Gaga dress himself?

A friendship fic featuring Tina, Kurt, Finn. With a small cameo by Artie. Enjoy! And please review :)

* * *

Kurt kneaded the plush velvet throw blanket he'd draped oh-so-casually over the chaise in his room. His mind was numb, almost completely unable to process what had just happened.

_Did my dad just throw Finn out? Where is he going to go?_

It seemed illogical that Kurt would be concerned with the whereabouts of someone who had just moments ago, called him "faggy" via the lamp Kurt had lovingly picked out.

Kurt threw himself on his bed, face down and sobbed quietly into his pillow. _Faggy_. _Faggy_. _Faggy._ He couldn't stop replaying the word in his head and he couldn't stop picturing Finn's narrowed eyes, Finn's red, angry face.

And oh, his dad. Kurt's heart swelled with emotion as he replayed his dad's words in his head. _This is our home_. _He is my son_. A few weeks ago, Kurt wasn't so sure his dad would have yelled at Finn – Finn was the son his dad had always wanted right? It turns out that blood is thicker than water, and though Kurt knew it wasn't always easy for his dad to relate to him, he always tried his best.

Thing was, as much as Kurt knew Finn shouldn't have said the word he did, and as much as he loved his dad for defending him and throwing Finn out…Kurt couldn't help but feel just the teeniest, tiniest but of guilt tugging at his heart.

Thing was, Finn wasn't _wrong_. He was wrong about the lamp – it was très chic, but what did Kurt really expect from a lug-headed jock, anyway? But Finn wasn't wrong about Kurt's motives for getting their parents together. And Finn wasn't wrong about the way Kurt had stared at him.

And now that Kurt's senses and wits were slowly coming back to him, he knew that as much as Finn was the bad guy, he himself wasn't…totally without fault. He was still angry at Finn for sure, and if anything, this…_incident_…jolted Kurt awake and dissipated any fantasies he held of him and Finn together.

Kurt sighed and heaved himself upright. Dragging his feet, he crossed the room and found his phone on his dressing table. Scrolling through the few contacts he had in there, he contemplated who to call. He had to get out of here. His dad was upstairs, watching a game and silently fuming. He couldn't talk to his dad…couldn't admit to his dad just yet that Finn, while totally out of line, was truthful about Kurt's crush on him.

Kurt's finger paused on "Mercedes." After a few moments of hesitation, Kurt kept scrolling. He loved the girl; she was fun as hell, and an amazing bargain hunter…but not what he needed right now. She was loud, opinionated, boisterous. He needed something…quieter. He kept scrolling.

Finally, his finger landed on the last name in his phonebook. "Tina." _I'll call Tina. I just need someone to listen…and hold my hand and tell me everything is going to be OK. And maybe let me binge on Twizzlers tonight if I do an hour on the elliptical every day for a week. Tina always has the best junk food._

* * *

Tina was surprised to hear her phone ringing so late. Usually, that meant one person, and right now said person was in her kitchen, rooting through her pantry trying to locate the Oreos for their movie date night.

She reached for her buzzing phone on the coffee table. _Kurt?_

"Hey, Kurt. What's up?" Tina said cheerfully into the phone.

"Hey. Hey, Tina." A small, tentative voice answered her.

Tina, completely caught off guard by the diminished voice on the other end, repeated, "Kurt? _Kurt?_ Is that you? Are you OK?"

"Not – not really." Kurt answered, "Can—would—do you mind if I come over? I…"

"Are you hurt? Are you alone? Do you need me to come get you?" The panic started rising up in Tina's throat, her voice getting higher and higher in pitch.

"No, no. I can make it there on my own. And you should probably stop shrieking, unless you want all the neighborhood strays howling at your front step." Kurt's dry voice came over the other end.

Tina let out the breath she didn't even know she was holding. Kurt wasn't OK— that much she could tell…but at least he was more Kurt-like. "Oh my god, Kurt. You had me seriously worried! Yes, come over, come over. Do you want me to call Mercedes?"

"N—no. Just you." Kurt's voice was sad again.

Tina paused. _Something must __really__ be wrong._ "Oh…OK. I'll be here. You can spend the night even, if you want. My parents are away all week." Tina replied, the concern creeping back into her voice.

"I'll be there in five." With that, Kurt clicked his phone shut. He grabbed the lamp right out of the socket, stuffed it in his Prada carryall along with his Brooks Brothers pajamas and torn Lady Gaga outfit – that cretin Azimio had put a good rip in the side. He quickly swept an array of beauty products off his dressing table into his bag and zipped it up.

Tina wasn't wholly surprised that Kurt, seemingly in crisis, had called her. Tina was quiet. And quiet people usually made the best listeners – whether they wanted to be listening or not. She had what Artie called "the face that cares." Once people (even strangers) got past the streaked hair and safety pins and realized that she was about as intimidating as a Muppet Baby, they would just open up to her. Word vomit all over her. People on buses, people in the mall food court, people sitting in the park. Quinn. Hell, Santana even – when she thought that Brittany was going to be made head cheerleader instead of her when Quinn got kicked off the squad.

Santana would probably deny it to her grave that she had ever confided in Tina, though, so don't bother double-checking that one.

Tina's very strict, but very absent, parents had told her from a very young age: "Children are meant to be seen and not heard, dear." And so Tina had trained herself never to offer her opinion, but only to listen. And to observe. Only after she joined Glee did she start to open up and speak her mind too, but Tina was still a good listener.

"Tee – I found the Oreos. Girl, do you _have _to keep them buried all the way in the back? Also, your pantry? It's like World War III in there." Artie came rolling back in, the prized blue and white package in his lap.

"You have to go." Tina said, suddenly.

"What now?" Artie said, completely caught off guard. He twisted his finger around in his ear, making sure that there wasn't a buildup of wax that was stopping him from hearing her right.

"You—you have to go." Tina repeated, her words coming out in a rush. "Kurt's going to be here any minute now, and you probably shouldn't be here."

"I think I'm missing a piece of the puzzle here, Tee. Are you cheating on me with Kurt? Because I'm _pretty_ sure he's gay." Artie said.

Tina rolled her eyes. "No, you ass. I am not cheating on you with Kurt. He called…and he sounds upset. I think he needs a girl's night. Let's face it, Artie. I love you like crazy, but you have a nasty habit of putting your foot in your mouth."

Artie huffed, pretending to look offended. "I can do a 'girl's night.' I give good advice."

"No, you really don't. Just _go_. Take the Oreos. I promise I'll make it up to you tomorrow." Tina winked suggestively, leaning down and kissing him full on the mouth before he could protest some more.

"I'm holding you to that, woman." Artie grinned. "Tell Kurt I hope everything's OK, and I'll see you tomorrow." He turned and wheeled down the hall, grabbing his backpack from the entryway. Tina followed him, and gave him one more kiss goodbye before opening the door for him.

_Twizzlers. I think I have some in the pantry somewhere…_

Tina yanked the door of the pantry open and winced when a box of pasta fell off the top shelf and landed squarely on her toe. _Yikes_. _I need to clean before my parents come home_.

* * *

Half an hour later, Kurt was sitting on Tina's couch, methodically funneling Twizzlers into his mouth. He still hadn't said anything, and this was starting to worry Tina. She didn't want to pry though. She knew he'd talk when he was ready.

Wordlessly, Kurt unzipped his carryall and pulled out the top of his Lady Gaga costume.

"Azimio tore a hole in the side of it when he shoved me into the lockers."

"Give it to me; I'll fix it." Tina took the shiny blue and silver top from Kurt's hands and crossed over to a folding table in the corner that was cluttered with bottles upon bottles of nail polish, spools of thread and her sewing machine. She was a pretty good seamstress, if she said so herself. It had been her idea to transform the dull black Forever 21 dresses using giant white bows for their "Hello, Goodbye" number. And she'd made Quinn's pink dress for Gaga, too – fitting that belly was _not _easy.

Tina's sewing machine was humming away when Kurt finally spoke up:

"My dad kicked Finn out."

"Wh-what?" Tina stopped what she was doing suddenly, and she felt the needle prick her finger. She stuck her finger in her mouth and sucked on it to stop the bleeding.

"My dad kicked Finn out…because…because he caught Finn calling me 'faggy'."

"Oh. My. God. Finn said _what_?" Tina came and sat back down beside Kurt on the couch. "I—I can't believe it! What an asshole. And…and I really thought he was different." Tina enveloped Kurt in a tight hug.

"That's what my dad said." Kurt said, tears welling up in his eyes again. "Though Finn wasn't really directing it at me. Not _really. _He—he didn't like what I'd done with the room. I tried going for Moroccan-chic because I thought Finn would like it, but then he said that I'd never tried to even get to know him, and that all the drapery was making him uncomfortable – that _I _was making him uncomfortable. And that he _knew_ I had a crush on him—he knew the real reason why I set up his mom with my dad."

Kurt's words tumbled out; he wasn't even sure he was making sense anymore, but Tina was nodding, so that was a good sign right?

Kurt reached into the bag and pulled out the lamp, gripping the base so tight that his knuckles turned white. "And then he called this lamp 'faggy,' and my dad walked in, and he yelled at Finn. For—for saying that word, for—for basically calling _me_…you know." Kurt had already said the word too many times; he couldn't bring himself to say it anymore.

Tina took the lamp from Kurt, placed it on the ground and patted his hand. "It's OK that you're mad, Kurt. You have every right. Finn shouldn't have said that."

Kurt burst into a fresh round of tears. "That's just it. I'm mad, yes. But he's…Finn—he was also right. I did…I did…think that maybe, if our parents got together, then he'd maybe…see—see _me_ and that…maybe he'd like me." Kurt's voice got quiet at the end of the sentence and he buried his face in his hands.

"_God_. It sounds like the plot of some cheesy made-for-TV ABC Family movie starring Hillary freakin' Duff." Kurt pounded his fists against the side of his head. "I am such a fucking _idiot_. And now I've gone and ruined my dad's happiness too. I am on a _fucking_ roll here."

"Hey. _Hey_. Kurt. Listen to me. You're not an idiot. You're a gay teenage boy in the most closeted, bigoted town in America. We _all_ have stupid crushes. We _all_ make fools of ourselves because our hearts won't obey our heads. Thing is, most of us have it easier because we have crushes on people of the opposite sex who are also heterosexual." Tina said.

"Finn fucked up big time, OK? Maybe he was feeling really uncomfortable because he knew you had a crush on him, and his mom was moving in with your dad, and he didn't know how to deal with it all. And I know he's had a really shitty year. That doesn't excuse what he said," Tina continued. She slung an arm around Kurt and squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.

"But I know…I know why you feel guilty. When…when I told Artie about faking my stutter and he ignored me for weeks, I was so mad because I thought that's all I was to him – a walking disability. But I also felt _so_ guilty, because my actions, my lie, caused that reaction. So, I get it."

Kurt wrapped his arms around Tina's neck and mumbled "thanks" into her shoulder.

"Hey, look. You'll work it out with Finn. And your dad will work it out with his mom, too. It's good to get it all out in the open, even if the process sucks." Tina handed Kurt a couple of tissues. "Ice cream? And Sex and the City?"

Kurt's smiled a small smile. "I'm going to be so fat. But OK."


	2. Tina Sews

**AN: Thank you to all who reviewed and put the story on alert (or even on your favorites list!) Your reviews mean more to me than you ca know, and it keeps me writing! **

**I hope you enjoy this chapter! It should explain the mystery of why this story's called "The Red Dress Redress." One more chapter after this, I think...**

**Please review!**

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* * *

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Finn stared at the wood paneling in his tiny room. He could hear his mom puttering around the kitchen, putting together something for them to eat. It was just the two of them. Again. And it was his fault.

He couldn't help but replay Burt's words in his head. _I really thought that you were different, Finn_. _I thought that being in Glee Club…and being raised by your mom…_

Finn had thought he was different too. He had thought that he was past ragging on kids in school just so he could look stronger and better. _Evidently not_. _I'm still a grade-A asshole, Lima loser to the core_.

Burt's words, Burt's anger raining down on him was like a bucket of ice being dumped over his head. A cold hard reality-check. Finn knew there was no excuse he could make for his behavior. Yes, he still had a sneaking suspicion that he was right about Kurt's crush on him. And yes, his mom announcing that they were moving in with the Hummels over canopies, or canned pies, or cana-whatever-the-hell-they-were—_and_ expecting him to sit down and play board games like they were one big happy family was too much to take.

But still. Finn knew that Burt was right. You don't say the "N-word," and you don't say "retard." "Fag" should be no different.

His mom was the best mom in the world. When she found out from Burt what had happened, she and Burt had put the brakes on their relationship so that they could focus on their kids. She'd come back to their old place, found Finn lying motionless on his bed and reassured him that there was a way to come back from this mistake. Told him she loved him. That he was the best kid she could ever ask for, and that they would make it work. Just the two of them, if that's what needed to happen.

Finn's heart hurt for his mom. She'd found some semblance of normalcy after so many years of being lonely. And he'd gone and destroyed it for her. He'd overheard her on the phone, crying softly to Burt that it was her fault; she should have eased Finn into this "whole moving in together thing" more slowly. And he heard her defending him to Burt, saying that he might not always do or say the right thing, but that he was a good kid with a good heart.

And Finn's heart hurt for Kurt, and for the seeds of a friendship that had been planted over the course of the last year. They had become friends, of a sort. Not the type of friends you hung around the neighborhood park tossing a Frisbee with, or the type of friends you snuck into the movie theaters and intimidated the kids running the concessions stand into giving them you free popcorn with…but they were _friendly_ at the very least.

Finn had tried talking to Kurt yesterday in Glee. He wanted so much to say "I'm sorry" and have Kurt accept his apology and for things to be back where they were. But in his heart of hearts, Finn understood why Kurt didn't want to talk to him. Why Kurt couldn't even look at him. Because Glee was supposed to be a safe place, and everyone in Glee, in spite of their differences, were supposed to be each other's support system. And Finn had betrayed that.

Finn knew he had to apologize. But more than say he was sorry, he had to show he was learning. That although he wasn't perfect and although the culture in Lima had left more of an imprint than Finn cared to admit – he was _learning_, and he wanted to be a better person.

He was going to have to get on Kurt's level. And for that, he'd need some help from Lady Gaga.

* * *

Tina ran down the hall to the kitchen to pick up her house phone. Her _house phone_. That thing never rang when her parents were away. The only people that ever called that number were her parent's very important clients and her very old grandma.

"Hello, this is the Cohen-Chang residence." Tina answered, her voice timid.

"Uh. Hello? Is—is that Tina?" Finn's voice came over the other end.

"Finn?" Tina blurted out in surprise.

"Yeah. I'm sorry – I don't have your cell number and I figured you're probably the only Cohen-Chang family in town so I just looked you up in the phonebook. Am—am I bothering you?"

Tina perched on the counter and leaned against the side of a cabinet. "No. I guess…I guess I'm just surprised you're calling me. Let's just call a spade a spade – we don't exactly hang out outside of Glee."

"I know…I—I just need help with something and I think you're the only person who can…It's somewhat Glee related?" Finn said hesitantly.

"What makes you think _I_ would help _you_?" Tina said a little harsher than she intended. She was intrigued by Finn's call, but she couldn't help herself.

After a brief silence, Finn said, "You know. Kurt told you…told you what I said."

He took her silence as a "yes."

"Look. I know I screwed up. And Kurt's _actually_ your friend, so I totally understand that the last thing you want to do is talk to me right now, much less help me. But…I need a Lady Gaga costume, and I overheard Brittany asking you the other day if you could help sew her lobster to her hair so it wouldn't flop around. And you busted out that little sewing kit to fix a rip in Quinn's dress…and you told Rachel you'd sew that frog back on. So I'm guessing you can sew," Finn rambled on, his voice getting more and more desperate.

"I never would have pegged you as observant, Finn Hudson." Tina said, dryly. "Why in the hell do you need a Lady Gaga costume? I thought you didn't want to do Gaga. Plus, we're not letting you into our number and if you want my solo, you can forget about it."

"No, no. I don't want to be in your number. I just—I need to show Kurt that I want to learn and be a better, more tolerant person. I'm slow – that's no surprise—but I _want _to learn. And I want to see where he's coming from. I have to make a statement though, because he won't talk to me. Understandably." Finn continued, afraid that if he stopped talking, Tina would just hang up on him. "I guess…I guess I figured if I showed up to school in a Gaga getup, he'd have to notice I wasn't afraid of what other people might think if we were friends. And that I'm on his side. That I'm not…homophobic—that's the word, right? And that what I did was really, really wrong. And that I'm really, really sorry."

Tina's heart softened at this. Finn Hudson wasn't perfect, but who was? And he was more than a little thick-skulled sometimes, but his heart was in the right place. She sighed. "Ok, I'll help you. But you're going to have to pay Artie in Oreos."

"Wh-what? Artie? _Why _Artie?" Now Finn was truly puzzled.

"Because I'm not going to be able to go to the movies with him tonight if I need to help you make a Gaga outfit, am I?" Tina replied, laughing just a little.

* * *

"I'd say that was a pretty successful shopping trip, wouldn't you?" Tina ushered Finn and a gazillion shopping bags through the entryway of her house.

"Woah. This is fancy. Not like Breadstix fancy, but like…Quinn's house fancy." Finn stood in the hall, mouth agog at the size of Tina's house.

Tina blushed furiously. "My parents. They—they have some sort of crazy consulting business—I don't really know what they do, actually. They entertain clients sometimes…when they're home. Which is not much. I guess they figure if I live in the lap of luxury, I won't notice that they're never at Glee performances, or haven't taken me to see a movie since _The Lion King_."

Finn was taken aback by the hard edge in Tina's voice. "I'm—I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry or anything. I just…like you said, we don't really know much about each other, huh?"

Tina laughed softly. "No. But it's never too late to start I guess. I—before Glee, I didn't have _any_ friends. And now even…only Artie, Kurt and Mercedes have seen my house and know about my parents." She paused, cocking her head in thought. "No. That's not true – Rachel came by once to drop off sheet music. But she was prattling on about altos and arrangements, I don't think she let me get a word in edgewise."

Finn chuckled. "Sounds like her."

Tina dumped out the contents of their bags. "Shall we start? I've got my work cut out for me." She looked at the picture Finn had printed out. "Interesting choice, I've got to say."

Finn looked at the picture and grimaced just a little. "I didn't have a lot of time to look at a million pictures of all of her crazy outfits. And a lot of them seemed to involve…leotards. Really shiny leotards." He faced Tina and looked her in the eye. "Don't get me wrong. I _want_ to do this. I would rather Azimio and Karofsky beat me to a pulp than not make things right with Kurt. I just…would like to _not_ wear a leotard around school."

Tina smiled softly. "I know. I believe you, Finn. And for what it's worth, I think you've already come a long way since you joined Glee."

She looked down at the red pleather shower curtain she was twisting in her hands. "For us nerds, it doesn't matter. Artie can wear his suspenders and vests, Rachel can wear her knee socks and pantsuits, and I can wear black lace dresses and all the eyeliner I want –well,not right _now—_because we're freaks. It doesn't matter how much we try to conform – we'll never be cool." Tina paused.

"But you—you have more to lose. And you know what it's like to be on top. Even with all that, you _still_ want to be in Glee and you still want to do this. Well…I think that makes you good people, Finn."

Finn smiled at her. "Glee saved me. You guys, you _freaks_, are the closest thing I have to real friends these days. And I think you're pretty cool, Tina. For one – you're helping me. And for another – you own like all the seasons of _The Simpsons_ on DVD. Awesome."

Tina laughed out loud "What can I say? My taste is like a teenage boy's. Go ahead, put whatever you want on. And then I need to measure you and start sewing! I have a really big-ass dress to make in like – 6 hours." Tina eyed Finn's lanky frame. "Damn, you're really tall, aren't you?"

* * *

7 hours, countless episodes of _The Simpsons_, two bags of Twizzlers and three boxes of Mallomars later, Finn stood in Tina's living room resplendent in a very long and very red dress. The shoulders were insanely puffy, the pleather was suffocatingly hot, and the neck ruffle was making Finn break out in hives.

But the happy, tired smile on Tina's face mirrored his own. _This is pretty friggin' awesome_. He ran his hands over the "fabric" and pinched the puffy shoulders in awe.

"I can't believe you transformed like six shower curtains into this, Tina. You are…Wow. You rock." Finn punched Tina lightly in the shoulder. "How do you do it?"

Tina laughed and bowed in mock grandeur. "I think the real question is why on _earth_ Sheets n' Things would be selling red pleather shower curtains."

Finn laughed. "Fair enough." He yawned loudly, stretching his arms above his head.

"Careful! I swear to god, Finn. If you tear that dress, you're on your own." Tina mock-threatened. She glanced at the display on her DVD player. "Shit, it's four in the morning! We should both get some sleep…"

"Shit, yeah. I'll go change out of this thing –carefully, I promise—" Finn said, catching Tina's glare out of the corner of his eye. "Then I should probably head home."

Tina cast her eyes downward, blushing a little as she said "Hey – it's late. I have like, 3 spare bedrooms. If you want to crash here and drive home in the morning before school, that's cool with me."

Finn's lips curled up in a cocky smile. "Are you asking me to stay over? What would Artie say?"

Tina rolled her eyes. "_Puh-lease_ – spare me your faux-flirting, Finn Hudson. I just don't want you crashing your car because you fell asleep at the wheel. Plus, you're _so not my type_."

"No?" Finn said jokingly, winking at her.

"No. _God_, no. You don't wear suspenders nearly often enough to be my type. Now pick a damn room and go to bed. I need my beauty sleep," Tina retorted.

Finn stared at Tina so intensely that she shrank a little under his gaze. In two strides, he crossed the room to where she was packing up her sewing gear and swept her up into a bear hug.

"Thanks. Y'know. For everything. I'm lucky I have a friend like you – and so is Kurt. And Artie's lucky to have a girlfriend like you."

Tina blushed and gave Finn a little friendly shove. "You're welcome. Just make it right, OK? Don't let my awesome red pleather dress go to waste."


	3. Kurt & Finn Redress the Situation

**AN: Happy day after July 4th, my American readers! I hope you enjoyed your pie and BBQ :) Sorry this chapter took me extra-long. I couldn't quite get the tone right at first, but I'm pretty happy with the way this last chapter turned out. **

**I hope you enjoy it!  
**

**Please review!  
**

* * *

"Oh. My God," Kurt breathed, not quite believing what he was seeing.

_Am I hallucinating? Maybe these buffoons have already knocked me unconscious, and this is all in my head. Although…if this is in my head, then I need to get my head checked._

Just a few seconds ago, Kurt was being pinned up against the wall by Tweedledee and Tweedledum, and now he was being rescued by a fairy godmother in a long red poofy dress made out of…_Is that pleather? This is some fucked-up fairytale, Kurt Hummel._

He blinked, and pinched his thigh surreptitiously. No. He was very much awake. And that was very much Finn Hudson, star athlete, clad in a dress replete with ruffled collar, and red glittery makeup around his eyes.

Kurt felt his heart swell with emotion as he heard Finn defending him, and protecting him from Azimio and his band of losers. The Kurt of a week ago might have swooned at the thought of Finn playing the Prince Charming to his helpless heroine, but the Kurt now knew better.

Finn was trying to make it up to him, trying to be a friend. So Finn wasn't perfect, and Kurt didn't know if he could quite forget what Finn had said just yet…but Kurt had to give him credit for trying. This was a start – a _good_ start – towards them being friends, hell, maybe even brothers. He snuck a glance over meathead number two's shoulder at Finn and caught his eye, smiling just a little at him. Finn smiled back at him reassuringly, but his smile didn't quite reach his eyes.

When Karofsky started in on Finn, Kurt gulped inwardly. _Oh sweet Jesus. We're going to have to fight these jerks, aren't we? I'm probably going to lose my balance and break my ankle trying to high-kick Karofsky's face in my Gaga heels, but I'm going to my damndest to take his nose down with me. _

Just as Kurt squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the inevitable bloodbath, he was rescued by the sound of Puck's menacing voice and the sight of all the Glee kids, decked out in their KISS and Gaga regalia (and Tina _finally_ looking normal again), with their arms crossed staring down the competition.

_Yeah, I wouldn't want to go against all of us either._

Kurt let go of the breath he didn't even know he was holding, and fell into step next to Finn and his fellow freaks as they headed back towards the choir room. He stared at Finn's costume as the group walked back to the choir room.

"Did you find that at a costume store or something? I didn't know they made such ugly dresses in the Big and Tall department." Kurt commented casually.

Finn chuckled. "Nah. Tina helped me. It's not really my usual look, y'know. But I've been thinking…I should branch out, try something new…learn something new," Finn finished, his voice laced with subtext.

"I should have known that was Tina's handiwork. She put the same crunchy stuffing in the shoulders of my costume." Kurt said, reaching up and squeezing Finn's costume.

"Shock and horror, but I think I prefer the crappy Old Navy t-shirts that are your usual fare. I'm thinking we should burn that dress. It's so _not _fabulous."

Kurt paused, and then continued in a much quieter voice. "Thanks, by the way. For you know…coming to my rescue. And for trying…" Kurt fought back the tears he could feel welling up behind his eyes. "For trying to patch things up…for trying to see where I come from, what I deal with. I…I appreciate it, really."

Finn cleared his throat and said semi-awkwardly "Yeah, buddy…of course I was gonna come get those guys to leave you alone. Any of us would have," Finn said, gesturing at the group walking in front of them. "Look, we need to talk, that's for sure. I want to be friends again – I want to make it right. So…maybe we can hang around after Glee? And talk? Clear the air?"

Kurt nodded, a small smile curling the corners of his mouth. "Yeah, let's talk. After Glee."

* * *

It had been a particularly long and brutal day for Tina. And she was barely keeping her eyes open at Glee rehearsal. If Quinn hadn't poked her in the side with her pointy orb, Tina probably would have just full on collapsed and taken a nap right in the middle of the choir room.

As Glee practice ended and everyone started filing out, she caught Kurt's eye. He smiled brilliantly at her, the biggest smile she'd seen in a long time. Kurt gestured at Finn and mouthed "_Thank you"_ at her . Tina shook her head. _"No problem,"_ she mouthed back. She looked at Finn, and at Kurt again, beaming like an idiot. Tina watched them pack up their stuff and head out of the choir room together, Finn's arm slung casually around the smaller boy's shoulder.

_So worth it. I'd totally miss another week's sleep for that._

"Earth to Tina." Artie's bemused voice broke through.

"Hey, Artie. You ready to head out? Let me tell you…I could really use this weekend to catch up on some sleep," Tina said, yawning loudly and completely failing to cover her mouth.

"Yikes, woman. What in the hell is going on? Your eyes are half-closed and I swear to god, if you start drooling, I'm not cleaning you up," Artie said jokingly.

"So much for being a supportive boyfriend," Tina joked back. "I'm just happy that I could help Finn and Kurt. They just needed a push in the right direction." Tina said. "Even if it _did_ mean that I go no sleep whatsoever. Especially since I had to wake up super early to come here and scare the pants off Figgins." Tina chuckled at the memory of their terrified principal retreating down the hall.

"_That_ was pure genius. Worth losing sleep over, definitely." Artie conceded. "Hey, so how did you come up with that idea, anyway? And can I tell you again how much I wish you had taped Figgins' reaction? It would've gone viral on YouTube for sure."

"It was actually mostly Finn's idea. I was whining to him about not being able to wear the clothes I want…and he came up with the plan. I just refined the script." Tina said, smiling mischievously. "I mean…I already had the outfit…and the cape."

"Hold up. You have _fangs_ just lying around?" Artie asked in disbelief.

"Sure. What kind of Asian vampire would I be without a spare pair of fangs? Geez, Artie. Stupid question." Tina teased, leaning down and giving Artie a kiss on the cheek.

"Hmm. I believe I was promised more than a peck on the cheek. You've bailed on me _twice_ now, woman." Artie teased back.

"Fine. How about we head back to my place, and I'll order us a pizza and we can watch whatever movie you want. _Yes_, even Star Trek. And you can geek out as much as you want, and I'll _still_ make out—" Tina yawned, cutting herself off mid-sentence.

Artie chuckled. "Darling, let's not kid ourselves. You'd probably fall asleep mid-makeout session and seriously bruise my already fragile ego. How about you let me give you a ride home," Artie patted his lap invitingly "we'll have some pizza, and then you let me put you to bed? Don't worry. I'll cash in on your promise later this weekend."

Tina smiled and arranged herself carefully in Artie's lap. "You're the best, babe. The best. Not even Finn in a red dress could lure me away from you now."

* * *

Finn and Kurt sat silently at the top of the bleachers by the football field. They had changed out of their costumes, and Finn had managed to scrub off only a tiny bit of the red glittery makeup before giving up. He sat there now, next to Kurt, absentmindedly picking glitter off his face.

"Here." Kurt's voice broke through the silence as he pulled a packet out of his bag. "I know you're predisposed against them, but I do have—"

"A moist towelette." Finn finished, looking down at the packet Kurt was holding out to him ruefully.

"I know they're not your style. But…they do work." Kurt said, pulling one out and handing it to Finn.

"I know…Tina used one on me last night. She said you gave them to her and told her the least she could do if she was going to insist on wearing all that eyeliner was to take it off properly." Finn said, chuckling just a little.

"Hey. I care about my friends' skin." Kurt retorted.

Finn kneaded the moist towelette between his fingers before using it to rub off more of the glitter. "So…so does this mean we're friends…again?" he said, awkwardly segueing into the conversation they both knew they needed to have.

"I – I want to be." Kurt said, stammering a little. "Look. You can believe what you want. But by the time you moved in, I'd pretty much resigned myself to the fact that you were never going to be interested in me that way." Kurt powered on, afraid that if he even so much as glanced up at Finn, he'd lose his nerve. "But I'm sorry too. I'm sorry that I ever made you uncomfortable. It's just…I'm not stupid, Finn. I know you're not gay and it would have been hypocritical of me to try and force you to be someone you're not. But let's face it, in Lima, I don't have much to choose from. Not that that justifies my behavior…it just…it's some sort of explanation…I guess…" Kurt trailed off, his voice uncertain.

Finn put a hand on Kurt's shoulder. "I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must be for you, here. And while I'm not saying you didn't make me uncomfortable –you did – I still should have never said that word. Your dad was right, and I'm glad he yelled at me and kicked me out, because if he hadn't who knows how long I would have gone thinking it was OK to even say that word?"

Kurt looked up at Finn. "Can we…can we just agree to put this behind us? I know you're a good guy, Finn. We both made mistakes, but we're both learning, right? So…friends?"

Kurt held out his hand, and Finn grasped it and shook it. "Friends." Finn grinned widely at him.

For the second time in many days, Kurt grinned too. "Come on, let's go home. I'm sure I can convince my dad we're OK – especially if it gives him the green light to shack up with your mom."

"Home? Like together?" Finn asked, confused.

"Yes, _home._ Come back with me. Look, I know we'll need some ground rules if we're going to make this work before my dad can get the wall up for another room…but you and your mom do want to come live with us, don't you?" Kurt said, thinking of his dad and just how happy he'd been recently, his voice hopeful.

Finn thought about how sharing a room with Kurt was going to work. And then he shoved those thoughts aside and thought of his mom. How genuine her smile had been lately, and how much she tried to hide her own pain and disappointment these last few days while being there for him.

"Yeah, I do. I mean…it's sickening, but our parents kinda work." Finn said finally, helping Kurt to his feet. "Do you think…do you think they're going to get married? Would that make us…like…cousins?"

Kurt shook his head disbelievingly. _What did I see in him again?_ "Stepbrothers, not cousins, you numbskull. And I don't know. But if they _are_ getting married, Carole better let me design her wedding dress. There is no way I'm letting my dad marry your mom if she's dressed head-to-toe in acid wash denim. I'll rope Tina into helping me if I need to."

* * *

**FIN. That's all folks! I'm toying with the idea of 2 different stories and I can't decide which one to do first, if you review, let me know what you think:**

**1) "To Glee, With Love." A series of one-shots from the point of view of each Glee character based on what they say before they sing "To Sir, With Love" to Mr Schuester in the finale.**

**2) "Four Weddings and a Funeral." Based loosely on the film of the same title, Artie and Tina's relationship through...you guessed it...four weddings and a funeral.  
**


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